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Sony Ericsson K850 poster for AT&T spotted in the wild
Okay, first, a word of caution: we've heard some conflicting reports that the K850 may have been canceled from AT&T's roadmap because it missed its "launch window." That being said, this poster -- spotted in an actual retail location, not deep in an AT&T workshop somewhere -- sure makes us believe it's still very much in the works. Come on, guys, you're not going to let Rogers show you up, are you?Also, what's this business about "video phone" and "video calls"? Sounds an awful lot like honest-to-goodness two-way video instead of that whole Video Share thing, doesn't it?[Thanks, brainsonthemonitor]Update: Several sources at AT&T stores have told us that they've been commanded by corporate to toss their K850 promotional materials in the trash. Doesn't sound like a good sign, and if the device is indeed canceled, we think it's a tragedy both for AT&T and for Sony Ericsson's North American presence.
Rogers launching Sony Ericsson K850i?
We've heard rumblings -- yes, "rumblings" plural -- that Rogers is poised to launch Sony Ericsson's Cyber-shot K850i by the end of the first quarter. With its lovely 5 megapixel camera, xenon flash, trick keypad lighting, and HSDPA, that's just fine with us if it pans out, and we're guessing there are more than a few Rogers customers who'd agree. Even better, we have some numbers to pass along: rumor has it that the phone'll run $199.99 CAD (about $199) on a three-year contract, and Rogers will do ya the favor of throwing in an 8GB memory card to boot.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Keepin' it real fake, part XCVIV: the edible Sony Ericsson K850i edition
We love when people appreciate a mobile enough to immortalize it via sugary sculpture and this seems to be the case for this Sony Ericsson K850i created by Michelle Wibowo of Michellecakes for Carphone Warehouse. We've seen keepin' it real fake cake before, but this is far "sweeter" and definitely "takes the cake" -- all puns intended and double quoted for those that missed them, and yeah, we know -- for attention to detail. We're not sure about the back story here, but suffice it to say we really don't care as we're more interested in how we can get a slice of K850i and find something cool to have sculpted for us. Any ideas friends?[Thanks, Michael]
The Boy Genius Report: AT&T gets Vu in January, K850i in March
Field tidbits from Engadget's mobile insider, The Boy Genius.Remember way back when we caught wind that AT&T was eying Sony Ericsson's initial American 3G efforts -- the Z750 and K850 -- for release? Well, it's looking good! This slide, imploring employees to focus on "exclusives," shows us that AT&T has locked onto launching a version of the K850 as the "Ansel" (seriously?) come next March. Seems like an awfully long time to wait, but in the meantime, we can check out the MediaFLO-equipped LG Vu in January. Why must you make it so hard on us, LG -- Voyager or Vu? Decisions, decisions!
Hands-on with the Sony Ericsson K850i
For most, the thought of spending $500 or more on a phone conjures one of two images: a high-end, do-it-all smartphone, or for 98 percent of the populace, insanity. There's a rare breed out there, though, that'll gladly shell out serious dough to get that ultimate, well executed, gorgeous, glossy phone delivered from the furthest reaches of the globe. Notice we said "phone" -- not smartphone -- and that's a key distinction here. The Sony Ericsson K850i blurs that line in some respects, but at the end of the day, you're paying some serious dinero for a powerful piece of kit that's still fundamentally tied down by its closed, proprietary platform. Yep, that's right, the K850i's a dumbphone -- albeit one of the hottest dumbphones we've ever seen or used, complete with triband HSDPA. So is the price justified? Does Sony Ericsson have any business stuffing this much power into a non-UIQ handset to begin with? We're pretty sure it's "yes" on both counts; read on to find out why.Thanks to the good folks at Wireless Imports for the hookup!%Gallery-9369%
Sony Ericsson K850i gets unboxed
Sony Ericsson's K850i candybar is likely going to be the subject of intense scrutiny around here, representing one of the company's first volley of North American 3G handsets -- and, oh yeah, there's that bit about a possible AT&T launch, too. It ain't a smartphone, but the 5 megapixel lens slapped on the back catapults it into high-end territory anyhow -- so we're delighted to see a few finally floating around in retail channels after the phone's June announcement. Boy Genius Report is in the process of putting the K850 through the proverbial ringer; we're digging what we're seeing so far (automatic lens open / close is pretty nifty, we have to admit) but we'll have to wait until we see a full rundown before we start jumping to conclusions. Of course, here's the million-dollar question: is it an N95 killer in the unlocked, US 3G market?
Sneak peek at Sony Ericsson's Elena and Sophia?
Sony Ericsson, like Apple, has a faithful collective of rumor hounds chasing after tidbits on its newest handsets; while we're frequently skeptical (why all the blurry pics?) we do love 'em and the insight they occasionally provide. We've heard various bits and bobs about the M610i and K850i -- codenamed Elena and Sophia, respectively -- and judging by the shots above, they both are starting to look a little more legit. Specs are still unclear, though the word is the K850i will be packing a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, xenon flash, a metal body, and judging by the pic above, a really crazy-looking key layout. The M610i will apparently replace the M600i as a business users' handset and add a 3.2 megapixel cam to the mix, a feature sorely missed in the M600i. No prices, availability, or concrete specs yet, but we'll do our darndest to keep the updates flowing as we get them.[Thanks, Michael and David]
Sony Ericsson K850i spotted and detailed
Hungarian website Terminal.hu looks to have scored a couple of pics of Sony Ericsson's yet-to-be-announced K850i Cybershot handset, which appears to boasts some specs similar to the company's rumored "Sophia" device. The most notable of which is is the handset's front-and-center 5-megapixel camera with a xenon flash, which gets backed up by a second 640 x 480 camera if that's a little too much for you. Otherwise, the tri-band handset gets some impressive if not all that unusual specs, with QVGA display of unspecified size, GPRS and UMTS connectivity, and Bluetooth (with A2DP), but apparently not WiFi, as was rumored with the Sophia. All that's squeezed into a slim 4.6 x 1.9 x 0.5 inch, candybar-style package. While there's no word on an exact release date just yet, it'll apparently make its debut sometime this spring, with an announcement possible as soon as CeBIT this week.[Via Unwired View, thanks Staska]
